Wrench.



J. SONTHEIMER.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1913.

Patented J an. 6, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Jo/m janf/re/mefl ATTORNEYS J. SONTHBIMBR.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED AP-3,24, 1913.

1,083,867. Patented Jan.6,1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR @Zma/ A TTORN E Y8 JOHN SON'IHEIMER, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 24, 1913.

Patented Jan, ti, 1914. Serial No. 763,309.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN SONTHEIMER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and Improved rench, of which the following a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches, and has for an object to provide an improved self-adjusting wrench which will automatically grip pipes, bolts, nuts, and the like, without manipulation of any adjusting members.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrench having automatically ad justing jaws which will tighten or grip to a greater extentas the wrench is operated so as to increase its gripping tendency as the same is needed.

In carrying out the objects of the inven tion, a pair of jaws are pivotally connected together, one of the jaws being formed with a substantially arc-shaped cam surface designed to coact with the arc-shaped cam surface of a cooperating handle. The handle is adapted to be pivotally connected with one of the jaws so as to substantially mate with the arc-shaped cam surface of the other jaw and with the bracing link or toggle structure for producing a closing action of the jaws as the handle is shifted from one position to the other.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indi' cate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a side view of a wrench embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a view similar to F 1, except that the wrench is shown in a position assumed when gripping a nut; Fig. 3 is an edge view of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4. is a section through Fig. l 011 the line 1 t; Fig. 5 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention showing the same applied to a pipe wrench; Fig. 6 is a view of the structure shown in Fig. 5 as the same appears when applied to a pipe; Fig. 7 is a front edge view of the structure shown inf Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is a section through Fig. 5 on the line 88.

Referring to the accompanying drawings hy numerals, 1 indicates a handle, and 2 and 3 indicate jaws provided with suitable corrugations or teeth 4- for properly engaging or gripping a pipe or other structure. The

outer or operating end of handle 1 is formed with an aroshaped face 6 which is preferably struck upon the same radius as the arcshaped handle face 7 of the jaw 53. The face 6 at approximately the point 8, is adapted to act as a fulcrum and reacts against the pin 9 supported by the extension 10 of the jaw 2 by link 11. The point 8 of course moves from one place on the face 7, to another, according to the size of the article being gripped. The portion indicated as point 8 on the handle 1, is part of one end of the cam surface 6, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. This part of the cam face (3 presses against the cam face '7 of jaw 3 when the nut or other article is being gripped, but does not perforl'n any function when the handle is moving to an open position. The link 11 is adapted to operate in the recessed portions 12 and 13, and to be not only connected with pin 9, but also with pin it which acts as the pivotal pin for connecting jaws 2 and The aw 2 is cut away sufficiently at point 15 for allowing a proper action of the aw 3, so that there will be a free movement of the jaws in respect to each other.

In operation, when the handle 1 is moved to the position shown in F 1, the jaws 2 and 3 are open to their extreme limit. \Vhen it is desired to engage and turn a pipe for instance, as shown in Fig. 3, the handle 1 is engaged and turned to the position shown in Fig. 1, whereby the jaws are adapted to grip the pipe. A continued movement of the handle 1 in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2), will cause the jaws 2 and 3 to grip to a greater extent the nut engaged thereby, or will cause the nut to rotate. The can] point or surface 8 on the face (3 presses against one point on the face 7, and the end 5 in a certain sense pulls against pin 9 so as to cause a proper gripping action of the jaws, while the same rotating the pipe. It will be evident that this action is the same regardless of the size of the pipe or other article being operated, provided the same is within the limits of the size of the wrench.

In Figs. 5 to S inclusive will be seen a slightly modified form of the invention, in which the same principle is applied to a pipe wrench. Referring to these figures by numerals, 16 indicates the handle formed with a cam face 17 at one end, designed to act against the curved face 18 of the movable jaw 19. In operation the handle 16 presses against the end 20 of the jaw 19, or near end 20, as shown in Fig. 6. The jaw 19 extends through the bifurcations 21 of jaw 22, the jaw 22 being formed with'a hook end 23 for more properly engaging the pipe. From Fig. 5 it will be observed that the pivotal pin 2% pivotally connects the jaw 22 to handle 16, while pivotal pin 25 pivotally connects jaw 19 to jaw 22. of the wrench, handle 16 bears against aw 19 and acting through the same and through pivotal pins 24L and 25, causes a leverage action, whereby jaw 19 will tightly grip the pipe and then turn the same upon a continued pressure on the handle 16. By moving the handle 16 in one direction the jaw 19 is positively opened and by moving the handle 16 in the opposite direction, jaw 19 is positively closed and the pipe rotated.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a wrench of the class described, a pair of jaws pivotally connected together, a link pivotally connected with one of said jaws, the pivotal connection of said jaws supporting one end of said link, a handle, a pivotal pin extending through said link and through one of said jaws for supporting said handle, one of said jaws being formed with a cam face and said handle being formed with a co-acting cam face designed to co-act with the cam face of said last mentioned jaw and with said last mentioned pivotal member for closing said jaws as the handle is moved pivotally on said last mentioned pivotal pin.

2. In a wrench of the character described, a pair of jaws, one of said jaws being formed with an extension and the other of said jaws being formed with a cam face, a pivotal pin for connecting said jaws together, a link having one end mounted on said pivotal pin and projecting to a position opposite the projection of one of said jaws, a pivotal pin connecting said link and the projection of said last mentioned jaw, and a handle mounted on said pin, said handle being formed with a cam face co-acting with the cam face on one of said jaws so as to act against said last mentioned cam face and said last mentioned pivotal pin for tending to close said jaws when pressure is brought to bear on the handle for tending to move the same from its pivotal pin.

During the use 3. In a' wrench of the class described, a pair of jaws pivotally connected together, one of said jaws being formed with a cam face at the end opposite that carrying the article engaging portion, and the other of said jaws being formed with an extension on the end opposite the article engaging portion, sald first mentioned jaw having a recessed portion therein, a handle pivotally connected with the extension on said second mentioned jaw, said handle being formed with a recessed portion co-acting with the recessed portion on said first mentioned jaw and with a cam face co-acting with the cam face on said first mentioned jaw, and a bracing and limiting link mounted on the pivotal member connecting said jaws together and the pivotal member connecting said handle and said extension, said link operating in said recessed portions in the first mentioned aw, and in the handle whereby the twisting action on the pivotal members for the handle and the jaw is eliminated and the pivotal movement of the handle is limited by the swinging of said link in said recessed portion.

4. In a wrench of the class described, a jaw formed with a projection having an engaging face thereon and with a body having a cam face thereon, said cam face extending in a general direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the jaw, a second jaw formed with an extension, means for pivotally connecting said jaws together, a handle pivotally mounted on said extension, said handle being formed with a cam face substantially mating with the cam face on said first mentioned jaw, and a link pivotally connected with the means for pivotally connecting the handle in place and also with the means for pivotally connecting the jaws together, said handle and said body being formed with recessed portions having shoulders, said recessed portions accommodating said link, and said shoulders limiting the movement of said link.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

D. W. MosELnY, IVVILLARD HAMMOND.

Copies of this patent may no obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

1 Washington. I). C. 

